Improved school-desk



NrrEn STATES PATENT OEEIGE.

A. E. ROBERTS, OF DES MOINES, I'OVA.

IMPROVED SCHOOL-DESK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 93,907, dated August 17, 1869.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A. E. ROBERTS, of Des Moines, in the county of Polk, and in the State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in School Desk and Seat Combined; and do hereby declare that the following'is a full, clear, and and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in a seat and desk combined, so arranged that the lid, which serves for the top of the desk, is divided into two parts, the back part folding forward from the scholar, so as to make ample room for the pupil to pass to and fro between the desk and the seat of the adjoining desk when ready for use by the pupil; also, in providing the folding part of the lid with a box for books, in the usual place underneath, said box projecting forward underneath the fore part of the lid, which is stationary; also, in so arranging the seat that it can be folded backward toward the desk. i.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to dcscribe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation with the desk and seat in position for use. Fig. 2 is atransverse vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation, showing the desk in the same position. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, showing the desk and seat folded; and Fig. 5 is aview of the spring device which holds the folding part of the lid out for use.

Arepresents a frame of cast-iron, with legs, which are fastened to the oor, and which frame serves as a support for the seat B and for the desk-lid C. B represents the seat, for one or two scholars, which may be turned back at pleasure. D is the back of the seat, which extends up about two inches higher than the top of the frame A. On the top of the frame A, and in rear of the back D, runs the stationary part of the desk-lid, which is provided with a hole for inkstand and grooves for pencils, the same as the majority of schooldesks now in use.

The desk -lid C is made of wood and divided into two parts, the back part folding forward from the scholar,'the front edge of the same describing an arc of the circumference of a circle and passing through an opening in the iron frame which is made for its accom modation.

The folding part of the lid rests on the bookbox E underneath for its support, and upon which it folds forward.

The ends of the book-box E are made of cast-iron, and are bolted to the iron frame A at a point which is the center of a circle, whose circumference would be described by the front part of the folding part of the desk-lid. The book-box folds with the lid and on the inside of the iron frame A.

The book-box and the folding part of the desk-lid are folded forward when not in use by the pupil, and both the lid and book-box, when thus folded forward, arc held firm and supported by the stationary part of the desk and the bolts a a, which fasten t-h e book-box to the frameA, and on which bolts both the bookbox and folding lid turn forward.

The folding part of the lid and the bookcase are held rm and supported, when in use by the pupils, by the bolts a a, above mentioned, and by two spring-bolts, b b, attached to the rear and upper part of the frame A, said spring bolts projecting underneath the stationary part of the desk-lid.

When the folding part is put back ready for use, the spring-bolts b b pass into holes in the iron ends of the book-box, thus fastening it. The folding part is then stationary, and cannot be folded forward until the spring-bolts are withdrawn from said holes.

The seat B is provided with iron ribs I I, which have two bolts, c and d, one of which, c, pivots the seat at each end to the frame A, while the other, d, passes .through a curved slot, c, in the frame, so that the seat can be turned up and let down at pleasure, turning on the bolts o c, while the bolts d d support the seat by resting against the inner corners of the grooves e c.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a school-desk frame,

desire to secure by mnstructed as described, a pvoted book-case, l In testimony that I claim the foregoing Which forms a desk on its upper surface and have hereunto set my hand this 6th day o folds inwardly from the pivots to the seat-back, April, 1869.

substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth. A. E. ROBERTS.

2. 1n combination with an extended frame,

A, and a pivotcd inwardly-folding book-case Vitnesses:

and desk, as described, the spring-catches b b, J No. W. JONES,

or their equivalents, substantially as setforth. JNO. A. ELLIOTT. 

